Machine for forming concrete dikes.



J. J. CRALL. MACHINE FOR FORMING CONCRETE DIKES.

APPLICATION mp0 JAN. I. 1913.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. J. CRALL. v MACHINE FOR FORMING CONCRETE DIKES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN- I9l3.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

5 SHEE.TSSHEET 2.

mil m1 llwwl 1 I Suva/Atom fiZV/J Crw J. 1, CRALL, MACHINE FOR FORMING CONCRETE DIKES.

' APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, I913. mmms. Patented me. 14, 19150 5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

J. JICRALL. MACHINE FOR FORMING CONCRETE DIKES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 7, I913.

' Patented Dec. 14,1915.

5 SHEET SSHEET 4.

idTATES PATENT GER-ALL, 0F KENDIRICK, OKLAHOMA.

M'AGHINE FOR FORMING (SONCRETE BIKES.

Application filed January 7, 1913.

b all whom di may concert-2a:

Be known that Joni-t @RALL, citizen of United as e" at Kendrick, in the county inncoln and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful'improvements in Machines forForming Concrete Discs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates, generally speaking, to excavating and filling-in machinery, and particularlyto machines designed to be used on levees or l'Lke structures for the purpose of forming a-concrete dike or core for the levee.

The general object of my invention is the provision of a machine adapted to out. a trench longitudinally along the crown of a levee, dam or like structure and fill in the trench or. cut with artificial stone or ooncrete so as to form a wall, dike or core eX- tending longitudinally along the levee and of any desired depth therein.

Another object is the provision in one single machine of means for cutting the trench, mixing concrete, conducting the plastic mass into the trench and for supporting the earth on each side of the trench.

Other objects wilt appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side eievaticn of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention. F ig. 2 is a plan View of the machine illustrated in Fig.- 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2 but being enlarged in scale. F is a section on the line H of Fig. 2. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of a. is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of part of the frame of the machine, the encavating mechanism, the trench sheaths and the chutes whereby-the plastic concrete is- Specification of Letters Patent.

thereto in Fig. 6 drum.

Iatented Bee. 14L, Serial No. ceases.

ings by the same reference characters.

Theframe o" the machine comprises parallel, longitudinal-beams 2 connected at then: ends by transverse beams 3. intermediate longitudinal beams a and 5 are supported at their ends by the beams 3, the beams 5 being preferably faced. with metal strips 5 so as to form a track. Rising from opposite end portions of the beams Qare pairs of standards 6 and 7 which are connected at their upper ends by cross beams 8. Beneath tnese cross'beams'and connected v suitable manner are a pair of longitudinal. supporting beams 9. The frame machine is mounted upon Wheels in any desired way. Running boards 10 are supported near the upper ends of the standards 6 and 7. Side platforms 1]., de-

signed to receive'the engines for operating at opposite end-sa located at the rear end thereof is a hop er 15 while at the forward end of the d um is'disposed a cut-off spout. A shaft 16 passes through the length of the drum and is connected thereto by radiating arms 17. This sh ft, at its rear end, is provided with b 18 set helically to act as an interrupted screw conveyer which projects into lateral extension 19 of the hopper which projects into the opening of the The face of the drum is provided with o.-gitudinaliy extending ribs, ledges or t cs 20 which act to mix the materie as the v cm is rotated. The forward end. of the dr is provided with a centrally disposed sleeve 21 through the center of which the 16 passes. The shaft 16 at its'forward end is' provided with a, plurality of blades 18* arranged helicailv to form a screw convever which extends from a point c to a point exterior thereto. the screw conveyer 18 a rotatably moi l "1 u t.

by a covering plate 4 handle 24 whereby it may be rotated. This spout is cylindrical in form but the rear portion thereof, slightly in -front of the rear end of the sleeve 21, is cut away, as at 24:, so that the spout at its rear end is approximately trough-shaped in cross section. The front end of the spout is openbut the rear end is closed by means of a disk 25 through which. passes the shaft 16. When the spout is turned to the position shown in Fig. 5, that is, with the handle 2i upward, the material which is being continually carried upward and forward by the drum drops into the trough shaped portion of the spout and is moved therethrough by the screw 18*! When however, the spout is turned to bring the opening or cutaway portion as downward and the closed bottom portion upward no material can fall into the spout; hence the discharge of the material through the spout is cut The drum is driven. by means of a shaft 26 supported in suitable hearings upon the side frame of themachine and driven from an engine 27. This shaft has snlined upon it a sprocket wheel 28. count .nohflfll 29 is mounted upon the supporting f..an1a e and carries upon it a sprocket wheel 30 from which passes a chain 3 over the sprocket wheel 28. The shaft 29 carries a spur gear, or pinion 32, which engages with the gear 14:. The drum 12 is rotatably mounted upon side beams 33 which also support the spout and hopper. The side beams 33 are connected so as to form a frame which is mounted upon the beams 5, as a track, so that the drum or concrete mixer may he shifted longitudinally along the machine Mounted near the forward end of the machine just rearward of the front wheels is an upwardly extending standard S l. The lower end of this standard is provided with a ill-shaped clamping member 35 which en? braces a shaft 36 mounted in pillow blocks 37 projecting upward from the frame of the machine. The standard 34 is formed with a plurality of transverse holes 39 disposed t intervalsalong length for the purpose holding the ex crating mechanism in veincally aotgusted p Vertically slidahle upon the sta 'idard is frame comprising s aced which embrace opposite s]. i ard. These blocks are cone inside faces of the bloc projecting c -"ets side faces bolts a3 is plates li form ng an elevator 5 frame. The pla s longituoi ted as at d5. tatzbly dispose. in. lower end of the supporting frame sprocket wheel and rotatably mounte" upper e the me a sprocket ins ore wheel 47 fastened to a shaft 48 which extends through the plates 44:, on each side, and is supported in journal bearings a9 mounted upon pillow blocks 50 which are attached to the plates 44: and are also supported by means of bolts 51 depending from the blocks 40.

In order to raise or lower the elevator supporting frame, I provide awinding drum 52 mounted upon thebeams 9. This drum is provided with a gear wheel 53 interm'eshing with a pinion 54L mounted upon a crank shaft 55 designed to be turned by hand. This crank shaft is provided with a ratchet wheel 56 engaged by a pawl 57 so that the I winding drum may be held at any desired point. lVhen. the elevator-frame is raised to the proper height, it is held in adjusted position by transverse pins 58 passed through apertures in the forward ends of the blocks a0 and the apertures 39 in the standard 3%. Disposed at the lower end of the standard at and extending rearwardly therefrom are the arms or links 59, the outer ends of which are inwardly bent, as at 60,*to engage within the slots i5 and thus hold the plates 44 of the elevator frame in parallel relation to the standard 3%. Opposite the engine 27 is an engine 61 of any suitable type which is operatively geared with a longitudinal shaft 62 supported in suitable bearings upon the frame of the machine and which extends from front to rear thereof. A friction wheel 63 secured upon the shaft 62' engages a disk-65 mounted upon shaft 66 which at its outer end is disposed a journal bearing '67 and which at its inner end is rota-tably received within a bore formed in the end of the shaft 36. A bevel gear wheel 68 is mounted upon the shaft 66 to rotate therewith and is free to move thereon and is in mesh with a miter gear 69 fastened to vertical shaft '30 which is rotatably supported in a cross piece 71 attached to the standard 3%. The shaft is journaled at its upper end in a bearing 72 which is connected to and extends outward from one of the blocks 4.0, A shaft a8 paralleling the shaft 48 is mounted in bearings 49 provided upon. the pillow blocks 50. The shaft 4:8 is provided one end with bevel pinion 7'3 whichnieshes with a bevel pinion l-l solined upon the shaft 70. The bevel i i "(at is held in engagement with the 73 by means of a bracket 75 attached tension of the adj acent pillow block elf? opposite end carries shaft Thus motion u the er 1e til to the us to the encavatin l or the purpose standard d justing screw shaft mounted in a suitable bearing 81 and having screw [threaded engagement with a screw threaded bore formed in the extremity of the trunnion 36 as at 82. The trunnion is laterally shiftable in its bearings 37, hence when the screw 80 is turned, the trunnion is shifted laterally in one direction or the other. To laterally shift the upper end of the standard 34, a screw shaft 83 is mounted in suitable bearings upon the beams 9 and has screw threaded engagement with ears 84 projecting from the standard 34. The outer end of this shaft 83 is provided with a sprocket wheel 85 over which passes a sprocket chain 86 which passes around a sprocket wheel 87 carried upon the shaft 80. A bevel gear 88 secured to the outer end of the shaft 80 meshes with a bevel gear 88 mounted upon a forwardly and upwardly inclined shaft 89 carrying at its end a. hand wheel 90.. This hand wheel is disposed in such position that an operator standing upon the front of the machine may easily shift the excavating mechanism laterally so as to keep it in proper alinement.

The endless chain excavator and elevator passing over the sprocket wheels 46 and 47 is indicated at 94 and may be of any construction so long as it operates to remove the earth on the forward side and carry the loose earth upward and discharge it into a trough 109.

Depending from the rear ends of the pillow blocks 50 are hangers formed by bolts 107 and a transverse bar 108. Supported in these hangers is a transversely extending conveyer trough 109 withinwhich the con veyer 110 is located (see Fig. 3) whereby the earth dumped into the trough from the buckets 104 is conveyed laterally and discharged at the sidt of the machine. conveyer 110 is supported upon pulleys within the trough 109 in any Well known man ner. One of the pulleys has its shaft extended, as indicated at 111, and a sprocket chain 106 connects the shaft 111 with a shaft 10G by passing around sprocketwheels secured to such shafts. The shaft 106 is geared to the shaft 48. as shown most clearly in Fig. 1. The conveyer trough 109 is pref-' erably made in a plurality of sections, two being illustrated. which are hinged in such a manner as to admit of the outer section being turned upward into a vertical position or folded.

Fig. 7 illustrates the preferable way of mounting the wheels 46 and 47. In this figure 44 designates the side plates of the'elevator or carrier frame. Bolted or otherwise attached to the inside faces of these lates 44' This shaft 115 having internally screw threaded bores at its ends engaged by screws 116 which pass in from the exterior faces of the plates 44. Immediately surrounding and rotatable upon the slee e 113 is a sleeve 117 which is secured to the sprocket wheel by means of a key 118 so as to rotate therewith. The object of this construction is to provide renewable bearing sleeves.

Disposed rearward of the excavating and elevating chain or carrier are a plurality of sheathing sections 119 119 and 119 There are as many of these sheathing sections as may be found desirable. These sheathing sections extend into the trench cut by the excavating carrier to shore up the sides of the trench until the concrete can fill the same. The sheathing member 119 consists of opposed plates 120, preferably of sheet metal, which are held spaced apart by means of strips 121 and 122. The strip 121 is disposed at the forward edges of the plates parallel to the rear edges of the plates 44 and therefore parallel to the path oftravel of the cutting knives and buckets of the carrier. The strip 122, however, is disposed inward of the rear edges of the plates 120 and projects upward beyond these plates as at 120 This upward extension 120 is connected by means of a U-bolt 124 to a pintle 125 which extends through the blocks 42 and is provided at its upper end with a nut 126. Theextension 120 and the pintle 125 provide a pivotal support for the casing section 119 to turn. The casing section 119 is connected to the plates 44 by means of links 127 which are connected respectively to the section 119 and the plates 44 by means of a transverse bolt 1 28 and by a transversely extending trunnion member 129 which is disposed within slots 130 out in the forward edges of the plates 120 and in the forward face of the strip 121. This trunnion member 129 is pivoted to the strip 121 by means of a vertical pin 131. The lower end of the section 119 is forwardly curved and elongated as at 132 to form a toe whose forward face conforms in curvature to the path of travel of the endless carrier. The sole 133 of the foot thus formed extends downward and rearward so that the heel of this member 119 is lower than the toe 132. This acts to slightly compress, and slide upon the material at the bottom of the trench and prevents the liquid cement from flowing forward of the sole 133 and getting into position to be taken up by the elevator.

The section 119 and'the section 119 are constructed in a similar manner to the section 119, that-is, each is composed of spaced plates 120 and intermediate vertically extending front and rear strips. The front and rear strips of the section 119 are indicated at 121 and 122, respectively, and the corresponding strips of the section 119 at 121 and 122". The lower ends of the side plates 120 are beveled downward and forward, as at 184, (Fig. 1) The strip 121 is hinged at its upper end to the strip 122 by eye-members 135 and 136 and a pintle 137. lhe strip 121 is hinged intermediate of its ends to the strip 122 by eye members 138 and 189 and a pintle 140. The section 119 is hingedly con nected to the section 119 in substantially the same manner.

The side plates of the several sheathing sections are provided with a plurality of perforations 141 which extend in" a line upward and rearward for the purpose of adjustably connecting a chute supporting member 142 to the sections. The member 142 is U-shaped and has opposed eyes 143 formed at its forward end through which passes a pin 144, which pin is adapted to pass through any one of the perforations 141. A chute 145 is arranged between the lower ends of the side plates of the rear section and is adjustable vertically of the connection 142. This chute preferably consists of a single sheet of metal bent so as to form parallelsides 146- which are spaced 2; sufiicient distance apart so that they may be inserted between the side lates 120*. A runner 148 is attached to the ower end of the chute and is strengthened by means of a brace 149 which is engageda'tits upper end by means of the link 142. A spput 150 leading from the mixing drum extends into the widened upper end of the chute 145. it may happen that the chute when raised by the runner 148 will stick and need to be forced downward into normal position. I have therefore provided a manually actuatable rod 151 which extends upward to a po sition above the platform from which the mechanism is operated and which at its lower end is pivotally connected to the rear upper corner of the chute 145 at 151.

Mounted upon the upper longitudinal beam 9 adjacent the rear standard 6 is a rope winding drum 152 having at one end a ratchet wheel 153 engageable bya pawl 154. The opposite end of the drum is provided with a pinion engaged by a gear wheel 155 mounted on a crank shaft 156. The purpose of this winding drum or shaft will be later stated. Both of the winding drums 52 and 152 are disposed upon the longitudinal beam 9 in such position that an operator upon the running board 16 1 1y readily operate them to handle either the .01 frame or the several sheathing me il hile traveling upon an ordinary road, the machine may driven by its own power in a manner which will be perfectly obvious to those skilled in the art. 1 hen at work, the machine is intended to be drawn forward by means of a cable, chain or other flexible connection 157, attached at its forward.. end to any suitable anchorage, the

inner end of such connection being Wound meagre able bearings between the beams 5. One end of the shaft is provided with a toothed gear wheel 159 and mounted above this gear wheel and extending transversely to one side of the machine is an actuating shaft. 160 carrying upon it a pinion 161 which meshes with the gear wheel 159. This shaft 160 is also provided with a ratchet wheel 162 coacting with a pawl The outer end of the shaft 166 is provided with a friction disk 164 adapted to be engaged by'a driving friction disk ,165 mounted upon the shaft 26. This friction disk 165 is adapted to be shifted across the face of the disk 164 so as to secure'varying speeds of the shaft 160 in a manner well known in the art.

Preferably, I provide aform of variable friction drive so constructed that the friction wheel or wheels may be forced against the friction disk 164 with anydesired pressure. To this end, I provide a counter-shaft 166 which extends parallel to the shaft 26 and is driven from the shaft by means of the inter meshing gears 167 and 168. Thisshaft 166 carries at its forward end a friction wheel 169. The friction wheel 165 and the wheel 169 are shiftable along the shafts 26 and 166 and are disposed opposite to each other. Mounted upon the shafts 26 and 166 are upwardly extending levers 170 and 171. These levers may be mounted in any manner so long as they serve to movethe wheels 165 and 169 along the faces of the disk 164 and toward and away from said disk. lhese lovers are mounted and operate in a manner similar to the levers 189 and 190 shown in Fig. 3. When the machine is not running, the lever 171 is moved inward, thus causing the friction wheels 165 and 169 to press very lightly, or not at all, upon the friction disk 164. .When, however, the upper end of the lever 171 is drawn outward, the Wheels 165 and 169 will be forced against opposite faces of the friction disk 164 with a pressure depending upon the force expended in drawing the lever 171 outward. It will be obvious that the rate of forward travel of the machine is entirely within the control of an operator standing at the front of the machine and manipunection 15? in and thus move the machineforward.

The steering of the machine is accomplished by means of a vertical'worm shaft 181, mounted in suitable bearings at the forward end of the machine, and carrying the worm 182 which meshes with a gear wheel 183 upon a winding shaft 184. This winding shaft carries upon it the oppositely wound flexible connections 185 which extend each to one end of the front axle.

The speed whereby the excavating carrier is operating is controlled by Ineansof the friction wheels 63 and 65 engaging with the friction disk 64, as reviously described. The wheel 63 is shiftab y mounted upon the shaft 62. The wheel 64 is shiftably mounted upon a counter-shaft 186. This counter- .shaft is driven from the shaft 62 by means of the gear wheels 187 and 188. The shaft 186 is supported at its rear end in a manner to admit of the forward end moving toward and from the friction disk 65. .As illustrated in Fig. 3, the friction disks 63. and 64 are operated in the same manner and by the same mechanism used for the friction wheels 165 and 169.

Bolted or otherwise attached to the under sides of the longitudinal beams forming themember202. of the fifth wheel is connected to the axle 205 by means of clip 206. WVith this construction it is plain that the axle 205 may be os cillatedin a vertical. plane without affecting the'platform or frame of the machine.

The rear axle 217 is connected to the rear bolster 218 which extends across and beneath the longitudinal beams of the platform and is attached thereto and? is provided with the front and rear depending flanges 219. Mounted upon the axle 217 is a plate 220 having upwardly projecting lugs 212 which engage between the flanges 219 and are pivoted thereto by means of a bolt 221. The 'plate 220 is held tothe axle by means of U-bolts 222 and a plate 223. The-platform is held in a horizontal position by means of adjusting screws 224 and 225, which have screw threaded engagementwith the ends of the bolster 218. The screw 224 engages a yoke 226 which loosely embraces the axle 217. Horizontal adjustment of the platform 'for leveling the same is obtained by rotating the screws 224 in one direction or the other. The screw 225 may be used for securing the platform in the adjusted position by turning the screw to cause its lower end to en gage the axle 217.

When the machine is at work and the trench is relatively deep,'there is no necessity of using the leveling screw 224 as the weight of the depending sheathing members and the depending portion of the excavator will tend to keep the excavator and the frame-work and platform of the machine in proper position with the excavator extending vertically. Where the trench is relatively shallow, however, and most of the weight of the excavator and sheathing memposition.

the machine, then the leveling screw 224 is particularly necessary.

When the machine is travelingover roads,

:this time, the elevator frame and the sheathing section 119 are turned into a horizontal trench is dug, sufliciently. deep to permit the excavator frame and the sheathing section 119 to be turned into a vertical position. When the parts are properly arranged, the driving engine of the excavator is started and the mechanism begins work. During this time themachine is moving forward b winding up the rope or cable 157 upon the shaft 158. As the machine moves forward, the excavator frame and the first section 119 attached thereto are gradually lowered by means of the winding shaft 52. This lowering continues 'until the full depth of the trench has been reached. After the excavator frame and the first section 119 have been lowered to a proper degree, the second section 119 of the sheathing is hung in place by -means of the hinged joint previously referred to, and when the excavator frame and the sections 119 and 119 have been lowered a predetermined degree, the third section is added, and so on until as many sheathing sections are added as may be desirable. tions are added, the mixing drum is moved back upon its tracks and, of course, each When the machine reaches the. .-place:where work is to be performed, a

As the sheathing sec-.

bers isconsiderably above the platform of time that a new sheathing section is to be added, the chute 146 is shifted out of engagement with the sheathing section with which it was originally attached and into engagement with the newly applied sheath-- ing section. If, for any reason, the excavator is not tracking properly along the crown of the levee, it may be laterally ad- 'usted relative to the frame of the machine y means of the adjusting screw 80,-and'it will also be understood that as the sections are hingedly connected to each other they will track properly inthe trench without which maybe connected to the lower portion of the excavator frame, when it is desired to rotate it into a horizontal position,

or lower it from a horizontal to a vertical position. The winding shafts 152 and 52 may also be used in connection with each other for the purpose of removing or applying the endless carrier of the excavator to the supporting wheels thereof. It is a very diflicult matter to apply an endless-carrier of /this type to the sprocket wheels and stretch the carrier as it should be stretched,

but by crossing the cables extending over the winding shafts 152 and 52 and passingthem over the pulleys detachably mounted on the forward and rear standards and attaching them to opposite portions of the excavator carrier, when the same is in a horizontal position, these portions may be drawn together as tightly as necessary and the links of the carrier thus brought into position where they may be connected to each other.

' In order to resist a pressure of the earth against the lower end 'of the excavator frame, and thus hold the excavator connecting links to their work, I may provide a spring 226 attached at one end between the beams 9 and at its other end attached to the upper end of the'standard 34 at 227. It will thus be understoodthat the spring acts to draw the upper end of the standard rearlevee and the destructive action of crawfish upon the levee. The advantages of a levee constructed with a core of stone are too obvious to need extensive statement.

While I have illustrated what I believe to be thebest form of my invention, andhave illustrated details of construction which are peculiarly adapted to the circumstances 'ofthe case,-I do .not Wish to be limited to these details, as it is obvious that the machine may be modified in many ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. j

What I claim is:

1. In a machine of the character scribed, a wheeled supporting frame, a standard pivotally mounted upon the frame for movement in a vertical plane, means for laterally shifting the standard relative to the frame, and trench excavating mecha- ;nism-adjustable lengthwise of the standard and adjustable rotatably with the standard. '2. In a machine of the character de-.

scribed, a laterally and vertically movable trench excavating mechanism, a trench sheathing section support movable with said excavatingmechanism,' and a plurality of trench sheathing sections detachably conn'ected' to each other and to said support and extending rearward therefrom.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a vertically disposed laterally adeach other, the foremost section being flexibly connected to the excavating mechanism.

4, In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supportingframe, a vertically and laterally bodily disposed trench excavating mechanism mounted thereon, a trench sheathing section supported behind the excavating mechanism and having pivotal connection therewith and including spaced sheathing plates, a concrete mixer mounted on the frame, and means for conducting concrete from the mixer into the space between'said plates.

5. In amachine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, trench excavating mechanism mounted on the frame, a trench sheathing section supported behind the excavating mechanism and including spaced plates, a concrete mixer slidingly mounted upon the frame, and a chute adjustably and detachably mounted upon the said section and adapted to convey mixture from the mixer to the space between the plates: 7

6. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, a vertically disposed trench excavating mechanism mounted upon said frame and depend: ing below the same, means for vertically adjusting the excavating mechanism, a plurality of trench sheathing sections, each section including spaced plates, the lower ends of the plates being upwardly and rearwardly inclined, and said sections being detachably engaged with each other, a concrete mixer mounted upon the supporting frame for movement longitudinally thereon, and a chute conducting mixture from the mixer into the space between the plates of the rearmost shifting section.

7. In a machine of the character de: scribed, a wheeled supporting frame, a vertically disposed vertically adjustable trench excavating mechanism mounted upon said frame, means for laterally adjusting the trench excavating mechanism relative to the frame, a plurality of trench sheathing sections disposedsuccessively rearward of the trench excavating mechanism, the sections being'detachably and hingedly connected to each other, the sections being successively shorter toward the rear end of the machine and each having downwardly and forwardly inclined lower ends, and a chute de-.

means for laterally adiusting said excavating mechanism relative to the frame, a plurality of sheathingsections disposed one behind another rearward of the frame and detachably and hingedly engaged with each other, each section including spaced plates, and each section being successively shorter from front to rear, the lower-end of the sections being inclined downward and forward and being open at their bottoms, a concrete mixer longitudinally adjustable along the frame and having a discharge spout, and a chute detachablv and adjustably mounted upon the rearmost section and having a lat-' eral elongated mouth receiving the concrete from the said spout. p

9. A machine of the character described including a wheeled supporting frame, vertically disposed trench excavating 'mechanism mounted upon said frame, a trench sheathing section supported rearward of the excavating mechanism and including spaced plates, said section being closed along its vertical front side, the front wall of the section extending parallel to the excavating mechanism, the bottom of the section being closed adjacent the front wall and said bottom inclining downwardly and rearwardly whereby to form a shoe bearing against the .bottom of the trench, and means mounted upon the wheeled frame for discharging concrete mixture between the side plates of said sheathing section.

10. In a machineof the character described, a wheeled. supporting frame, a trench excavating mechanism comprising upper'and lower sprocket wheels, an endless excavating element passing over the sprocket wheels, side plates supporting the sprocket wheels and the endless element, means connected to the upper ends of the side plates for vertically adjusting the side plates, sprocket Wheels and the endless element, means for driving the sprocket wheels, and means slidinglv engaging the lower ends of the side plates and holding them in parallel relation to the endless excavating element.

11. In a mechanism of the-character described, a wheeled supporting frame, a ver-- tically disposed standard pivotally mounted on the frame for movement in a vertical plane longitudinally of the machine, excavating mechanism including upper and lower sprocket wheels vertically disposed spaced plates supporting said sprocket wheels, and an endless excavating element passlng over the sprocket wheels, a slide to which the upper ends of the side plate are connected, said slide engaging the vertical standard, means for raising and lowering the slide along the standard to thereby vertically adjust the excavating mechanism, and means for locking the slide in its adjllStQd position upon said standard.

12. In a mechanism of the character demeans for locking the slide to, the standard,

and means connecting thelower end of the standard with the said side plates and vertically movable with relation thereto.

13.In a mechanism of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, a vertically' disposed standard, 'an interiorly screw threaded trunnion upon which the standard is mounted for rotary movement in' a vertical plane, a feed screw engaging said trunnion whereby it may be shifted laterally, and trench excavating mechanism slidably mounted upon said-standard and rotatable from a firtical to a horizontal plane with the standard.

14. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, a vertically disposed standard, a trunnion mounted on the frame and pivotally supporting the standard at its lower end, said trunnion having a'screw threaded bore in one end and a bore in the other end, an adjusting screw engaging the screw threaded end of the trunnion, a shaft supported at its inner end in the other bore of the trunnion, and carrying a bevel gear wheel, an excavating mechanism slidingly mounted upon the standard and extending vertically downward and including opposed sprocket-wheels and an endless excavating member, a vertical shaft supported p'arallel to said excavating mechanism, a bevel gear wheel splin'ed on said shaft andiengaging a bevel gear wheel mounted on a sprocket wheel shaft, a bevel gear wheel carried on the lower end of the vertical shaft and engaging the first named bevel gear Wheel, and means for transmitting poWer to the shaft of said last named bevel gear wheel. v

15. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, forward and rear vertical supporting standards, longitudinally extending beams operatively connected to the upper ends of the standards, a supporting standard disposed at the forward end of the machine and pivotally mounted at its lower end for movement in a vertical. plane, excavating mechanism slidingly mounted upon said supporting standard but rotatable therewith from a vertical to a horizontal position, a winding drum mounted on the longitudinally extending beams, and operative connections between the winding drum and saidexcavating mechanism whereby the latter may be shifted vertically.

16. In mechanism of the character de ing from said slide, a feed screw operatively engaging the lower end of the standard to shift it and the excavating mechanism laterally, a feed screw engaging the upper end of the standard, sprocket wheels on' said screws, and an endless connection passing over the sprocket wheels.

17. In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, a standard pivotally mounted at its lower end upon said frame for movement in a vertical plane, a slide carried by the standard and vertically shiftable therealong, excavating mechanism depending from the slide and movable therewith, means for vertically moving the slide, a feed screw operatively engaging the lower end of the standard, a feed screw extending transversely to the upper end of the standard, ears having screw threaded engagement with the last named feed screw, and embracing the standard, and means for coincidentally operating both of the feed screws.

18. In a machine of the character described, a Wheeled frame, a standard projecting upward at the forward end of the wheeled frame, a slide mounted on the standard, hangers depending from the slide, bearings mounted on said hangers, an upper sprocket wheel shaft mounted in said bearings, a sprocket wheel carried thereby, spaced side plates attached at their upper ends to said slide and disposed on each side of the sprocket wheel, a lower sprocket wheel mounted in the lower ends of the side plates, an endless-excavating element mounted on said sprocket wheels, means-for raising and lowering the slide relative to the standard, a supporting member projecting rearward from the slide, a sheathing section supported by said member and having its forward edge spaced from the rear edges of the side plates and extending parallel thereto, and means for driving said sprocket wheels.

19. In a machine of the character described. a wheeled supporting frame, trench excavating mechanism carried thereby, a sheathing member supported rearward of the excavating member,a chutecoacting with the sheathing member and linked thereto for vertical movement, and runners attached to the sheath and adapted to contact with the ground whereby to raise and lower the chute.

20. In a machine of the character described, a Wheeled supporting-frame, vertically disposed standards at opposite ends of the frame, longitudinally extending beams excavating mechanism depending from said frame, trenchsheathing sections operatively supported rearward of the excavating mechanism and flexibly connected thereto, means for steering the frame, and means for laterally shifting the excavating mechanism relative to the frame. I

22..In a machine of the character described, a wheeled supporting frame, laterally adjustable trench excavating mechanism supported by and depending from said frame, trench sheathing sections hingedly connected to each other and supported rearward of the excavating mechanism andv flexibly connected thereto, means for drawing the frame forward, and means for steering the frame.

23. In a machine of the character described, a supporting frame, vertically disposed trench excavating mechanism mounted on and depending from the supporting frame, and a plurality of trench sheathing members disposed successively behind the excavating mechanism and comprising spaced side plates, both of said members having-coacting hinge elements near their lower ends, one of said elements comprising a pintle and the other a socket, both of said members having coacting hinge elements at their upper ends comprising perforated ears, and a removable pintle detachably engaging said ears.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. CRALL. a 5.

l/Vitnesses:

FREDERIC B. WRIGHT, J. D. YOAKLEY. 

